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Investment Market Update

World markets

asia

Asian stocks climbed as the latest bout of earnings results buoyed sentiment in the technology sector and traders kept an eye on the historic meeting between the leaders of North and South Korea.

us

US stocks closed higher, boosted by solid earnings from Facebook and a rebound in technology stocks as US bond yields pulled back.

uk

UK stocks moved higher, but fell short of the boost seen in European markets, after Shell's results capped gains on the index.

Headlines

The number of new houses registered to be built in the first three months of the year fell by 14% due to the harsh winter weather, new figures show. Statistics from the National House Building Council revealed the drop - the worse percentage fall in one three month period since 2012. Alongside poor retail figures, many economists now fear that the first quarter GDP growth figure to be published later this morning will be weak.

Royal Bank of Scotland has reported a profit of £792m for the first three months of the year, up from £259m for the same quarter last year. The rise is partly thanks to a fall in restructuring costs, and a drop in conduct and litigation costs. The bank is also continuing with its plan to shrink in size, which means its running costs are falling.

Market data

Price

1d

YTD

2017

UK (£)

FTSE 100

7,421.43

0.6%

-3.5%

7.6%

FTSE 250

20,137.62

0.6%

-2.8%

14.7%

FTSE All Share

4,083.53

0.6%

-3.3%

9.0%

FTSE Small Cap

5,840.27

0.8%

-1.2%

14.9%

St. James's Place

1,126.50

0.9%

-8.1%

20.9%

Europe (€)

Euro Stoxx 600

383.75

0.9%

-1.4%

7.7%

DAX 30

12,500.47

0.6%

-3.2%

12.5%

CAC 40

5,453.58

0.7%

2.7%

9.3%

US (US$)

S&P 500

2,666.94

1.0%

-0.2%

19.4%

Dow Jones Ind

24,322.34

1.0%

-1.6%

25.1%

NASDAQ

7,118.68

1.6%

3.1%

28.2%

Asia

Hang Seng

30,227.59

0.7%

1.0%

38.5%

Nikkei 225

22,485.97

0.7%

-1.2%

19.1%

Australia 200

5,953.60

0.7%

-1.8%

7.0%

MSCI AC Asia Pacific

171.88

0.0%

-1.1%

28.7%

World (US$)

MSCI World (Developed)

2,092.44

0.8%

-0.5%

20.1%

MSCI AC World (Dev & Em)

509.91

0.7%

-0.6%

21.6%

MSCI Emerging Markets

1,144.35

0.4%

-1.2%

34.2%

MSCI AC World Value

219.29

0.3%

-2.1%

15.2%

MSCI AC World Growth

279.21

1.1%

0.9%

28.3%

Fixed Income

FTSE Gilts All Stocks

3,535.52

0.4%

-1.5%

3.0%

FTSE Index Linked All Stocks

622.58

0.5%

-3.9%

2.3%

ML Sterling Corporate Bonds

392.86

0.2%

-2.0%

5.7%

ML Global High Yield Bonds

376.88

0.1%

-0.1%

9.7%

Commodities (US$)

Brent Crude Oil

74.74

1.0%

13.6%

14.5%

Gold

1,317.65

-0.4%

0.9%

11.8%

UK Sectors

Basic Materials

6,235.81

-0.2%

-1.3%

25.0%

Consumer Goods and Services

19,521.22

1.6%

-12.7%

13.6%

Financials

5,259.23

0.0%

-2.9%

13.3%

Health Care

9,765.37

0.8%

2.6%

-3.7%

Industrials

4,083.53

0.6%

-3.3%

9.0%

Oil & Gas

9,241.81

0.1%

2.0%

6.0%

Technology

1,809.63

0.6%

-21.4%

23.5%

Telecommunications

3,041.36

1.6%

-10.1%

0.1%

Utilities

7,118.66

2.5%

-2.9%

-14.8%

Currencies

$ per £

1.39

0.1%

3.1%

9.5%

€ per £

1.14

-0.4%

1.6%

-4.0%

¥ per £

152.26

0.1%

0.0%

5.3%

Indicators

VIX Index (Volatility)

16.24

-9.0%

47.1%

-21.4%

Baltic Dry Index

1,375.00

-0.1%

0.7%

42.1%

UK Rates

BoE Base Rate

0.50%

LIBOR (3 months)

0.76%

Consumer Price Index

2.50%

Retail Price Index

3.30%

Yields / Ratios

FTSE 100 Adj P/E

12.83

FTSE All Share Adj P/E

13.24

FTSE All Share Yld

3.99%

15yr Gilt Yield

1.75%

10yr Gilt Yield

1.50%

10yr US Tres Yield

2.98%

Market prices will reflect the last closing prices with the exception of the Asian markets which may be still trading at the time the data is obtained. The data for these markets is therefore a snapshot of live trading data obtained between 06.45 and 07.15 GMT. Growth is shown cumulative and is not annualised. A positive currency movement indicates the £ appreciating against the other currency. Performance data does not account for the re-investment of dividends. This information has been reproduced by kind permission of Bloomberg and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of St. James's Place Wealth Management. St. James's Place considers the information to be reliable but it is not intended to provide a sufficient basis on which to make an investment decision.

Source: MSCI. MSCI makes no express or implied warranties or representations and shall have no liability whatsoever with respect to any MSCI data contained herein. The MSCI data may not be further redistributed or used as a basis for other indices or any securities or financial products. This report is not approved, endorsed, reviewed or produced by MSCI. None of the MSCI data is intended to constitute investment advice or a recommendation to make (or refrain from making) any kind of investment decision and may not be relied on as such.

Some of the products and investment structures documented within this article will not be available to our clients in Asia. For information on the funds that are available please get in touch.

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Important notice

Although the content of the article(s) archived were correct at the time of writing, the accuracy of the information should not be relied upon, as it may have been subject to subsequent tax, legislative or event changes.